09/15/2024
Comparison photos of male and female pumpkin flowers. The first 2 are the males. They appear first, are smaller, and have more pollen in the center (this part is called the stamen). After a week or so, the female flowers bloom. The females have a teeny pumpkin (called the o***y) at the base and very little pollen in the center (their center is called the stigma).
Since this is the first female flower to bloom for me, I decided to hand-pollinate in the hopes that I might get a pumpkin before it gets too cold. Fingers crossed!